November 20, 2007 - St. Lucie County Pet Registration Off To Great Start
In less then two months after its implementation, more than 4,000 dogs and cats have been registered under St. Lucie County's new pet registration program.
As of Oct. 1, residents within the unincorporated areas of St. Lucie County are required to register their dogs and cats with St. Lucie County's Public Safety Department through participating veterinarian offices or the Humane Society of St. Lucie County. Approved by the Board of County Commissioners, this new ordinance requires dog and cat owners to pay a registration fee for their animals with the funds going toward a program to offer low-cost spaying and neutering. The cost is $10 annually or a one-time fee of $25 for the life of the pet for animals that have been spayed or neutered. The cost for unaltered animals is $75 per animal. There are discounts for registering additional pets that have been spayed or neutered. Breeders are required to pay an annual $100 registration fee. Those that may have registered their animals as being spayed and neutered in other counties still need to register their pets in St. Lucie County.
So far 2,400 lifetime tags, 1,500 annual tags and 300 unaltered tags have been issued to residents in the unincorporated areas of St. Lucie County (those homes not within the city limits of Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie or St. Lucie Village).
''We are certainly pleased with the willingness of our county residents to cooperate with this new registration program,'' said Jack Southard, St. Lucie County Public Safety director. ''Not only will this program help raise funds to reduce the overpopulation of unwanted pets, it will provide a paper trail that leads lost animals back to their proper owners.''
Dog and cat owners who do not register their animals could face a fine up to $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense and mandatory court for the third offense.
Registration can be done at the following locations:
- Humane Society of St. Lucie County, 100 Savannah Road, Fort Pierce (772) 461-0687
- Tri-County Animal Hospital, 1807 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce (772) 461-1311
- Animal Clinic of Fort Pierce, 2508 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce (772) 461-2739
- Acacia Animal Clinic, 4798 South U.S. 1, Fort Pierce (772) 465-2447
- Port St. Lucie Animal Hospital, 6148 South U.S. 1, Port St. Lucie (772) 335-5525 or (772) 465-5525
- North Port Animal Hospital, 6801 Heritage Drive, Port St. Lucie (772) 461-8688 or (772) 878-4818
- PetData, Inc. http://www.petdata.com/ (888-615-4350)
For more information and details about St. Lucie County's new Pet Registration Ordinance, ask your local veterinarian or call St. Lucie County Animal Control at (772) 461-6177.